The Great Cornish Food Festival 2015

 

The Great Cornish Food Festival – the largest event anywhere dedicated 100% to Cornish food and drink – is back for its 12th year on Truro’s Lemon Quay from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th September. 

With a packed timetable of hands-on masterclasses, sampling and kids’ activities, and loyal supporter GWR taking the headline sponsor spot for the second year, get ready to enjoy three days of tastings, culinary titbits and food-loving fun for all ages. 

Celebrated seafood chef Nathan Outlaw is confirmed to host the grand finale on Sunday afternoon, following a tantalising programme of masterclasses and demonstrations across two different stages, in company with a host of Cornwall’s top chefs and food experts.

Visit the festival all three days and you’ll be treated to an array of demonstrations on everything from filleting fish to wine tasting, AGA-cookery to coffee brewing, and as always, everything on sale from festival exhibitors will have been produced in Cornwall.

Around 60 producers and 40 chefs and food experts are taking part, with an exhibitor line-up that includes everyone from household Cornish names like Rodda’s and Sharp’s Brewery, to artisan producers such as Fowey Valley Cider and Buttermilk Confectionery, just some of the businesses making serious waves across the UK food scene.

Here you’ll find all the info on what to buy, what to see and how to get here – so take a look around, and start planning your visit to the biggest food event in Cornwall.

  

To that end I was sent a lovely food Hamper by the Sponsors of this year's Cornish Food Festival,  Great Western Rail, which was filled with  a whole bunch of Cornish Goodies, including Portlebay Popcorn, a couple of Luscomb Crushes, a bottle of Admiral's Ale (destined for a pie),  My  Little Black Book of Seafood by Mitch Tonks, some tasty Furniss Choc Chip mini Cookies,  a packet of Mr Filbert's Cornish Sea Salt Mixed Nuts, some Tregothnan Tea and a couple of Cornish Saffron Cakes and some Cornish Biscuits.  Yum!

Also issued was a challenge to make some Cornish Pastys!

 

Yum!  Yum!  Who doesn't love a good Cornish Pasty!

*Cornish Pasty Recipe*

Makes 6 good sized pasties

Printable Recipe 

 

Traditional.   Make sure you plan ahead as the pastry needs to sit for 3 hours prior to rolling out.  Delicious meat hand pies! 

 

For the pastry:

500g strong bread flour ( it is important to use a stronger flour than normal

as you need the extra strength in the gluten to produce a strong

pliable pastry) (3 1/2 cups, plus 2 TBS)

120g lard or white shortening (1/2 cup plus 1 TBS)

125g of Cornish Butter (1/2 cup)

1 tsp salt

175ml cold water (3/4 cup)

For the filling:

450g of good quality beef skirt, cut into cubes (1 pound)

450g potato, peeled and diced (1 pound)

250g swede, peeled and diced (1/2 pound rutabaga)

200g onion, peeled and sliced (about 1 large onion)

salt andblack pepper to taste ( 2 to 1 ratio)

beaten egg or milk to glaze 

 

Sift the flour into a bowl and rub both fats into it until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the water and bring the mixture together.  Knead until the pastry becomes elastic.  This will take longer than ordinary pastry, but it gives the pastry the strength it needs to hold the filling and keep a good shape.  

Cover with cling film and leave to rest in the refrigerator for 3 hours.   

 

Roll out the pastry and cut into circles, approximately 8 inches in diameter.  Layer the vegetables and meat on top of the pastry, adding plenty of seasoning.  Bring the pastry around and crimp the edges together.  Glaze with beaten egg, or an egg and milk mixture.  Bake in a pre-heated 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3 for 50 to 55 minutes, until golden. 

 

 

 

Tips:

The american equivalent of skirt steak is flank steak.  Cut from the udnerside of the belly of the animal, it has no gristle and little fat, cooks in the same amount of time as the raw vegetables and it's juice provides a delicious gravy.  Use a firm waxy potato, such as a Maris Peer.   A floury potato (baking or mashing) will fall apart on cooking.

How to Crimp:

1.  Lightly brush the edge of the pastry with water.

2.  Fold the otehr half of pasry over the filling and squeeze the half circle edges firmly together.

3.  Push down on the edge of the pasty and using your index finger and thumb, twist the edge of the pastry over to form a crimp.  Repeat this process along the edge of the pasty.

4.  When you've finished crimping along the edge, tuck the end corners underneath.